TAKE JACK BACK!
Clay County is about to start our annual pumpkin composting program, Take Jack Back! This program is loved by the community and helps to keep pumpkins out of our local landfill. With the Take Jack Back Program, Clay County has composted over 270,000 pounds (or 135 tons) through Doubting Thomas Farms. To make this program accessible to all of our residents, composting bins will be located across Clay County at your local recycling drop sites on November 1st 2025. Clay County residents will be able to drop off their pumpkins until November 14th 2025. (Locations listed below)
More than 1 billion pounds of pumpkins end up in landfills across America every year. They take up unnecessary space in our landfills. Some might think that you can just toss them in your regular compost piles with your grass clippings and leaves. This is not the case. Pumpkins are considered food waste and need to be disposed of properly.
Moorhead:
700 15th Ave N (Public Works Facility)
23rd St S & 40th Ave (soccer field parking lot)
418 Elm St S
3322 15th Ave N (Resource Recovery Center)
Glyndon: 18 3rd St SE
Hawley: 716 Front St
Georgetown: 127 Main
Oakport: Compost Site
Sabin: 6 Main Street
Hitterdal: By the Water Tower
Barnesville: 205 Front ST N
Dilworth: 600 Center Ave W
Ulen: 108 NP Ave W
Commonly used items that are not compostable. You will need to remove candles, artificial lighting, or any other decorations that are in or attached to the pumpkin. This includes stickers, ribbons, and candle wax. Pumpkins that have glitter or paint on them cannot be composted. You can cut away sections of the pumpkin that are covered in these items and discard them in the trash. Then you can properly compost the remainder of the pumpkin. Things like paint, candles, and stickers contain harmful chemicals and do not break down during the composting process. They can contaminate the soil and cause many problems for the farmers and microorganisms in the soil.
So where do these pumpkins end up once you drop them off for the Take Jack Back program? They end up at a local farm here in Moorhead. Doubting Thomas Farms is a fifth-generation organic farm run by Noreen Thomas, her family, several volunteers, and interns. Pumpkins are very high in nitrogen which helps in the growth and production of oats on their farm. Doubting Thomas farms distribute their organic oats here in our local community to local restaurants and grocery stores.
MINNESOTA STATE MOORHEAD VETERANS WEEK
Commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War
MOORHEAD – Minnesota State Moorhead will honor Veterans in a variety of events during Veterans Week, Nov. 4–11, 2025. This year’s theme commemorates the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, recognizing the sacrifices, stories and enduring legacy of those who served.
A highlight of the week is Speaking of Service: Voices of the Vietnam War, on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 1:30 p.m. in the Barry Auditorium, located in the Christenson Alumni Center. This engaging storytelling event invites the community to hear firsthand accounts from Veterans who lived through the Vietnam War era. One of the featured speakers is Rex Selnes, a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran from Alvarado, Minn., who served with Marine Force Recon in Vietnam in 1969, earning the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and several other commendations. Following his military service, he and his wife, Judy, spent 25 years teaching in Mesa, Ariz., before retiring and returning to Minnesota. Selnes is active in local Veteran organizations, including the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 941, the Moorhead American Legion, and Fargo AmVets.
Veterans Week gives our campus and community a chance to pause, connect and express gratitude for the service and sacrifices that protect our freedoms.
All events are open to the public. To learn more and view the full schedule, visit mnstate.edu/veteransweek.